Orphan train rider does anyone here have experience with identifying an ancestor as an orphan train rider. Orphan train is a book set in both the present day and the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train. It is also estimated that around 2 million people are descendents of an orphan train rider. Vivian traveled from nyc to minnesota as a young girl on one of the infamous orphan trains that was used to get orphans out of the cities into the country where they might have a better opportunity to find families and to be able to make a good life. This list is a small portion of riders that rode the orphan train to the midwest. Andrea warrens six books of nonfiction for young readers include orphan train rider, pioneer girl, escape from saigon, surviving hitler, and under siege warrens books have won a long list of honors. Orphan train is a young adult historical fiction novel about the relationship between seventeen yearold molly ayer and ninetyone yearold vivian daly who, as the result of spending time together and sharing their experiences, form a bond, learn from each other, and change in significant ways. Recipient of the founders award presented by the national orphan train complex for her eminent presentations on the orphan trains and having two published books. Two years later, along with yet another brother, the boys were sent west on an orphan train. Apr 11, 20 after tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train christina baker klines new novel incorporates a true piece of american history. With the current influx of underage children coming across the southern borders, will we seeing the same thing happen again. A first cousin once removed has suggested that my great grandfather was one of the first. Riders on the orphan train is an historical novel about a littleknown piece of american history.
All of the sections of orphan train set in present day take place in a fictional maine. You mention rootlessness being a major theme of the book, which seems a result. Between 1854 and 1930, more than 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children were sent west on orphan trains to find new homes. From the teeming streets of new york among a crush of immigrants. Today, we welcome christina to the blog to discuss her experience with book clubs and the three most common questions that clubs have asked her about the novel. Christy awardwinner hedlund crafts an enjoyable first installment of the orphan train series. Christina baker klines novel orphan train has ridden the new york times bestseller list for the past 15 weeks, becoming a favorite of book clubs across the country. Orphan trains were part of socalled placing out programs in new york city and. Vivans story starts in 1929, when 9 year old vivian at that time called niamh loses her parents and is sent from new york to the midwest with an orphan. Andrea warrens six books of nonfiction for young readers include orphan train rider, pioneer girl, escape from saigon, surviving hitler, and under siege warrens books have won a long list of honors, including the boston globehorn book award. Orphan train is a specifically american story of mobility and rootlessness, highlighting a littleknown but historically significant moment in our countrys past.
Many orphan train riders came through this institution. Orphan train research person for this site is clark kidder author of emilys story. Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. She has been a professional writer for twenty years and works from her home office in the kansas city area. A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of americas history.
A lovely novel about the search for family that also. If you would like to read more about the orphan trains, here are a few excellent books. Between 1854 and 1929, over 250,000 orphans and surrendered children were placed out across the country. Wisconsin orphan train rider biographies, research queries, and lists and dates of orphan trains stopping in wisconsin. Between 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains transported more than 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children many of them firstgeneration irish catholic. My first profiled rider is my grandfather oliver nordmark who, along with his younger brother edward, rode the orphan train from the childrens village orphanage on long island ny to bern, kansas in search of a home. There are a couple of references to other childrens experiences, but its mostly just the one example. He was a dear man who did all he could to help promote the history of the orphan trains, and he was proud of his book.
The orphan train adventures series in order joan lowery. The orphan asylum was a type of group home for orphaned children. One boys true story is about lee nailling, whose mother died when he was seven. From the 1850s until the 1900s the childrens aid societys orphan trains brought children to families in the midwest. A riveting look at the orphan train from historical novelist jody hedlund when a financial crisis in 1850s new york leaves three orphaned sisters nearly destitute, the oldest, elise neumann, knows she. Christina baker klines orphan train is an unforgettable story of friendship and second chances that highlights a littleknown but historically significant movement in americas pastand it includes a special ps section for book clubs featuring insights, interviews, and more. About the author andrea warren is the author of many acclaimed nonfiction books for young readers, including orphan train rider. One boys true story follows lee nailings journey from new york city orphan to texas country boy. Charles was placed with j f bickford, in westford, mn martin county. Riders on the orphan train chronicles the lives of two children among approximately 250,000 young people placed out between 1854 and 1929.
Warren intercuts the story of one childs experience with being an orphan train rider with a general history of the trains. Take a trip back in time to the early 20th century in america, where ethan cooper and his orphaned siblings are on a mission to find a family. The brave journey of an orphan train rider, on thursday, february 16 at 7 p. Read online orphan train by christina baker kline for. Christina baker klines orphan train is an unforgettable story of friendship and second chances that highlights a littleknown but historically significant movement in. Between 1854 and 1930, more than 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children were sent west on. Orphan train rider by andrea warren scholastic teacher store. During the early years, indiana received the largest number of children. The main characters are vivian, the orphaned train rider who at 91 years of age tells her fascinating story, and 17 year old molly, also an orphan, who helps old vivian to clean up her attic.
Her first book for houghton mifflin, orphan train rider, won the 1996 boston globe horn book award for nonfiction. They started their journey in new york and were given away in train stations across the country. And, when she got old enough to date, she met william cole, another orphan train rider. In this moving story of one orphaned boy, author andrea warren describes the role of charles loring brace and the childrens aid society in establishing orphan trains. Warren lets lee tells his personal story while she provides historical context for what is the largest childrens migration in history. Recipient of the new york foundling award 2004 and 2018 presented by othsa and the national orphan train complex for preservation of orphan train history. The following entries in the log books dated april, 1884 the childrens aid society. The brave journey of an orphan train rider, which chronicles the true life story of his paternal grandmother an orphan train rider sent to.
More than 200,000 homeless children were sent west on the trains. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed. Andrea warren is the author of many acclaimed nonfiction books for young readers, including orphan train rider. Discusses the placement of over 200,000 orphaned or. One of the book s protagonists, an irish orphan, is. There are no studies to show what happened to them. The orphan train children lined up to board the orphan train this train came through arkansas when my mother was young.
The orphan trains carrying homeless children to be placed in the west are a little known part of americas history. She has been a professional writer for twenty years and works from her home office. Hedlunds cinderella story, shedding light on the hardships women faced in both the east coast cities and the developing west in the 1850s, is a pleasant romance with plenty of twists to keep readers engaged until the final page. Orphan train riders, from the riders on the orphan train multimedia performance at union depot in st. Collect all four volumes of the beyond the orphan train series. For example, in an excerpt from the orphan train by andrea warren november 1998 in the washington post, another orphan train rider, lee nailling 81 at the time of the interview, of atlanta, texas, remembers a large farmer sticking his hand into his mouth to see if his teeth were sound. William was an alcoholic, and her family forbid their relationship. For example, in an excerpt from the orphan train by andrea warren november 1998 in the washington post, another orphan train rider, lee nailling 81 at the time of the interview, of atlanta. Renee wendinger is from minnesota and is the youngest of five children. Riding the orphan train cowboys and indians magazine. Looking for descendants of the orphan train riders. See more ideas about orphan train, orphan and american history.
In recent years, some of the riders have begun to share their stories. Juvenile literature, orphans, abandoned children, orphan trains, biography. One of the book s protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed. Published may 1st 1996 by hmh books for young readers. When she was older, she wrote to the orphanage to try to get information from them about her mother, but, there was not much to give. The complete series list for the orphan train adventures joan lowery nixon. Andrea warrens books about children are the result of her passion for history and her interest in young readers. Apr 10, 2014 the main characters are vivian, the orphaned train rider who at 91 years of age tells her fascinating story, and 17 year old molly, also an orphan, who helps old vivian to clean up her attic. Beyond the orphan train series, volumes 14 by arleta richardson. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train christina baker klines new novel incorporates a true piece of american history. Orphan train rider by andrea warren overdrive rakuten.
I gave this book to my mother, whose cousins were also orphan train riders. She has been a professional writer for twenty years and works from her home office in the. Nov 23, 2015 in this segment from the west by orphan train documentary, orphan train rider stanley cornell recounts the story of he and his brothers experiences living in an orphanage and their eventual. Discusses the placement of over 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children in homes. Orphan trains were part of socalled placing out programs in new york city and other eastern cities between 1854 and 1930, an effort to find homes for white children without parental support. A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to. The year was 1906 and oliver was 8 years old edward 5. Chas hendricks, american, age 11 nyo ny orphan asylum. The true story of an orphan train rider deerfield public. Most significantly, there are more than 2 million orphan train rider descendants in america today. Lee and a younger brother, leo, were placed in an orphanage. Now featuring a sneak peek at christinas forthcoming novel the exiles, coming september 2020. Her mother, sophia kaminsky hillesheim, 1917 orphan train rider, was one of the children of the orphan trains taking part in a phenomenal journey from new york city to the midwest.
Find out more about the history of the orphan trains and if emily does indeed prevail in our upcoming library program, emilys story. The brave journey of an orphan train rider, on thursday, february 16. In this segment from the west by orphan train documentary, orphan train rider stanley cornell recounts the story of he and his brothers experiences living in an orphanage and their eventual. Orphan train riders of new york organization honorary president. Many train riders were ashamed of this part of their past, and carried the.
Apr 02, 20 a penobscot indian who has spent her youth in and out of foster homes, molly is also an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. Looking for descendants of the orphan train riders eastman. Orphan train is a young adult historical fiction novel about the relationship between seventeen yearold molly ayer and ninetyone yearold vivian daly who, as the result of spending time together and sharing. Genealogists ride search for orphan train rider ancestors. One boys true story, which won the boston globehorn book award. One boys true story, which won the boston globe horn book award.